Meridian Episodes Available now

Alexandria, the city as Literary Muse
How the Egyptian port of Alexandria has been a muse for great writers from many countries

Claudia Roden on Food and Cultural Identity
The dishes of childhood remain part of every exile's identity, explains Claudia Roden

Memory Palace of Alexandria
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a major new library and cultural centre in Egypt

Rostropovich – a Life in Music
Mstislav Rostropovich, combining ancient Persian literature, Iranian folk music & western classical music. Presenter: unknown.

Chadha's perfect Pitch – Football and Marriage
Bend It Like Beckham tells the story of a British Sikh girl's footballing ambition

On the record – 80 years of Gramophone magazine
Celebrating 80 years of the record industry and of Gramophone Magazine

Tom Paulin's poetic new War History
Tom Paulin's new poetry book The Invasion Handbook about World War Two.

Mata Hari – her Life and Legend
Greta Scacchi stars as Mata Hari, femme fatale and World War One spy, on stage in London

Wes Anderson's dysfunctional 'Royal' family
Fabulously dysfunctional family life in Wes Anderson's new film, The Royal Tenenbaums

Celebrating World Service Poetry Competition Winners
Celebration of the winners of the World Service poetry competition at London's Poetry Café